SECOND EPISTLE OF GRIBIUS 97 
Maria along with two covering letters. One of these was a 
formal notification in Latin from the Rev. Mr Gribius; the 
other was a simple Dutch letter from Maria herself. I shall 
give them both. 
Gribius wrote’: 
In our present scientific age, 6 Maxapirns” Antony van 
Leeuwenhoek considered that what is true in natural 
philosophy can be most fruitfully investigated by the 
experimental method, supported by the evidence of the 
senses; for which reason, by diligence and tireless labour 
he made with his own hand certain most excellent lenses, 
with the aid of which he discovered many secrets of 
Nature, now famous throughout the whole philosophical 
World: of which sacred apparatus he bequeathed no 
contemptible a share, inclosed by himself in this little 
cabinet, to the Royal Society, with no other object than 
to afford those ingenious and most erudite men a token 
of his veneration, and as a mark of his gratitude for 
having been enrolled among their learned Company. 
His Daughter (a spinster of excellent repute, who has 
preferred a single life to matrimony, in order that she 
might ever continue to attend her father) earnestly begs 
this one favour: that you disdain not to send back word 
that this little present hath not gone astray, but is come 
safe into your hands; which I likewise fully trust was 
the lot of my own letter*® written to you, in no joyful 
spirit, five weeks ago. 
I pray God, most illustrious Sir, that He suffer you 
long to continue shining as a great and singular light and 
star of the first magnitude to Philosophy. 
1 Translated from MS.Roy.Soc., No. 1215; G.2.4. Petrus Gribius, 
Eccl. Delph. pastor senex, to J. Jurin, Sec. h.S.; 4 Oct. 1723. Original in 
Latin: unpublished. 
° = The blessed (7.e. in heaven). 
° Referring to his communication of 30 August 1723-—p. 94 ante. 
From this remark it must be inferred that the Secretary of the Royal Society 
had neglected to acknowledge Gribius’s first epistle. 
7 
